Floyd pitches Braves past Rockies

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Gavin Floyd throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies on Monday in Denver.

Chris Schneider/AP

The Associated Press

Published: Monday, June 9, 2014 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 12:11 a.m.

DENVER — Gavin Floyd pitched effectively into the seventh inning for his first win since returning last month from reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, leading the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies 3-1 on Monday night.

Floyd, who was limited to five starts last season while with the Chicago White Sox before undergoing Tommy John surgery, allowed one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings in picking up his first victory since beating Cleveland on Oct. 3, 2012. Signed by Atlanta as a free agent last December, Floyd (1-2) snapped a career-long six-game losing streaking dating to April 2013.

Chris Johnson had three hits, including two RBI singles, to help the Braves beat the Rockies for the 15th time in 18 games since 2012. Evan Gattis had an RBI groundout and singled to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games.

Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 17th save in 20 chances.

Christian Bergman, called up earlier Monday from Triple-A Colorado Springs to fill in for the injured Jordan Lyles (broken left hand), allowed two runs and five hits in six innings in his major league debut. Originally a 24th-round draft pick out of the University of California Irvine in 2010, Bergman (0-1) struck out four and walked two in a solid outing that included singling in the third for his first major league hit.

The Braves got to him for their first two runs in the fourth with B.J. Upton beating out a slow roller toward third base leading off the inning for Atlanta's first hit.

Upton stole second, and after Freddie Freeman walked, went to third on a deep flyout by Justin Upton before scoring on Gattis' grounder. Johnson followed with an RBI single to center.

Corey Dickerson homered off Floyd leading off the seventh. Floyd retired the next two batters but walked D.J. LeMahieu and was relieved Luis Avilan. Pinch-hitter Brandon Barnes doubled but LeMahieu was stranded at third when Avilan induced an inning-ending groundout by Charlie Blackmon.

The Braves got a run back in the eighth on Johnson's second run-scoring single.

NOTES: Braves RHP Jordan Walden, placed on the 15-day DL May 10 because of a strained left hamstring, pitched a scoreless inning Sunday for Triple-A Gwinnett in his second rehab outing. ... The Braves play 19 of their 28 games in June on the road. ... Braves LHP Mike Minor (2-4) opposes RHP Juan Nicasio (5-4) in the second of the four-game series between the teams on Tuesday. ... The Rockies have not yet announced a replacement for RHP Eddie Butler, who was scratched from Wednesday's scheduled start after going on the 15-day DL with rotator cuff inflammation. ... Bergman was the fourth Rockies pitcher to make his major league debut this season. The others were Butler, Chris Martin and Tommy Kahnle.

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